THE IPM APPROACH TO LANDSCAPE PEST MANAGEMENT

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THE RED IMPORTED FIRE ANT(RIFA)N.C.
Cooperative Extension ServiceWayne County
CenterGoldsboro, NC Recommendations for the use
of agricultural products are included in this
presentation as a convenience to the reader. The
use of brand names and any mention of commercial
products or services in this presentation does
not imply endorsement by North Carolina
Cooperative Extension Service nor discrimination
against similar products or services not
mentioned.
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Fire Ants
Little black ants (attacking fire ant queen)
Carpenter ant
Pharoah ant
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4 SPECIES OF FIRE ANTS!
2 NATIVE SPECIES

• Fire Ant (S. geminata)
• Southern Fire Ant (S. xyloni)

2 FOREIGN SPECIES

• Black Imported Fire Ant (S. richteri)
• Red Imported Fire Ant (S. invicta)

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THE RED IMPORTED FIRE ANT
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U.S. INTRODUCTION SPREAD

• - Black form Solenopsis richteri, U. S. at
  Mobile, Alabama ca. 1918. Now restricted to
  portions of AL, MS and TN
• - Red form Solenopsis invicta, U. S. at Mobile,
  Alabama in 1935-1940 from South America. Now
  distributed over 11 southern states and still
  spreading

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RIFA INFESTED AREAS IN THE U.S.
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2005 Imported Fire Ant Quarantine Areas in North
Carolina
Regulated Area - Movement of regulated articles
from this area into or through white area
requires inspection.                          
Non Regulated Area - Movement of articles from
or through these areas does not require
inspection. Effective Date March 3, 2004
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Potential Red Imported Fire Ant Range Expansion
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HOW DO FIRE ANTS SPREAD?

• Movement of ant- infested materials
• -Nursery stock
• -Sod
• -Hay straw
• -Soil
• -Farming / constructionequipment

Mans Activities
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HOW DO FIRE ANTS SPREAD?

• Natural dispersal through mating flights
• Budding off of colonies containing multiple
  queens

Natural Movement
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THE FIRE ANT PROBLEM

• Stinging Pest
• Build Mounds
• Environmental Concerns
• High Populations

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Red Imported Fire Ant Stinger
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HEALTH PROBLEMS caused by the RIFA

• Human Health
• Sting usually causes a localized reaction,
  leaving a characteristic pustule-like blister.
• Secondary infections and scarring may result
• Small percent of population is deathly allergic
  to fire ant stings.

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IMPACT ON WILDLIFE
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PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE RIFA

• RURAL AREAS
• Injure farm animals
• Damage mowers and other farm equipment
• Damage some crops
• Interfere with harvesting(affects yields)

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PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE RIFA

• Environmental
• Aggressive towards other ants (including other
  RIFA mounds)
• Will displace many native ant species in area

Competition with Native Insects
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IDENTIFICATION

• Reddish- Brown
• Dark Abdomen
• 2 Nodes
• 10 Seg. Antenna
• Mounds without holes

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Red Imported Fire Ant

• BIOLOGY
• Identification
• Adult red imported fire ants are reddish to dark
  brown and occur in five forms (1) minor workers,
  about 1/8 inch long (2) major workers, about 1/4
  inch long (3) winged males and (4) females, each
  about 1/3 inch long and (5) queens, about 1/3
  inch long.
• Fire ant mounds vary in size, usually in direct
  proportion to the size of the colony. For
  example, a mound that is 2 feet in diameter and
  18 inches high may contain about 100,000 workers,
  several hundred winged adults, and one queen. In
  addition, when the mound of an active fire ant
  colony is broken open, whitish rice grain-like
  larvae and pupae usually can be found. These
  immature ants will eventually develop into
  workers or winged adults.
• Mounds constructed in clay soils are usually
  symmetrical and dome-shaped mounds built in
  sandy soils tend to be irregularly shaped.

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Colony Founding

• Newly mated queen lands, digs a chamber in the
  ground and lays eggs and cares for her brood.
• Fire ant queen lays 200 eggs per day and
  gt350,000 eggs during her lifetime! (5-7 years)

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Fire ants prefer to colonize open sunny areas.
Human activities promote the establishment of the
RIFA. High mound densities can be found along
road rightofways and in pastures.
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RIFA MOUNDS
In urban residential areas, look for mounds in
open, sunny areas of the lawn, near slabs or near
the base of trees
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RIFA Mound in Rose Bed
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RIFA Mound Lawn Area Next to Sidewalk
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RIFA In Electrical Service
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THE FIRE ANT MOUND
The mound absorbs solar radiation and provides a
warm humid environment suitable conditions for
rearing their brood.
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• Underground foraging tunnels radiate out from
  mound to provide workers access to foraging
  areas.

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• When Are Fire Ants Active?
• When soil surface temperatures are between 65
  and 85 F
• May September in most areas
• Evenings during hot summer weather
• Spring and Fall are peak activity periods

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Fire Ant Food Preferences

• Liquid foods
• mostly honeydew produced by aphids, scale
  insects, etc.
• man-made liquids, such as beverages
• Solid foods
• Primarily oils
• Other insects

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FIRE ANT CONTROL

• -State and federal quarantine regulations
• -Biological - predators, parasites, pathogens
• -Physical - mound disruption, steam or boiling
  water
• -Chemical - insecticides baits
• Single mound or multiple mound (broadcast)
  treatment

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Regardless of the type of control
attemptedULTIMATE CONTROL OF THE COLONY
DEPENDS ON KILLING THE QUEEN!!!
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Red Imported Fire Ant

• CONTROL METHODS
• Chemical Control - Individual Mound Treatments
  with Baits
• Most baits are insecticides or insect growth
  regulators that have been mixed with ant
  attractants. Worker ants carry particles of the
  bait back to the mound and feed them to the
  queen. The baits act slowly enough to pass the
  food taster test. Although the insecticide kills
  the queen, workers may be active inside the mound
  for several weeks before the colony finally
  disappears.
• Baits are slower acting but more effective
  overall than mound drench treatments. Insect
  growth regulators suppress and halt egg
  production by the queen slow acting, but
  effectively eliminates the colony in time. Baits
  normally require more than one application per
  season.
• Baits should be applied when ants are actively
  foraging (spring and fall). Scatter bait around
  the outer ring of the mound and not on top of the
  mound. If the mound is disturbed the ants will
  swarm, move the queen, and relocate the mound.
• Only fresh bait (one year old or less) should be
  used and application and handling equipment
  should be clean. Baits contain oils and if
  overexposed to high heat, humidity, and direct
  sunlight can become rancid and ineffective.

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Red Imported Fire Ant
CONTROL METHODS Chemical Control Broadcast
Bait Treatments Broadcast treatments are used to
distribute an insecticide or growth regulator
bait over a large infested area containing many
fire ant colonies. 1. Use fresh bait. Store ant
bait in tightly sealed containers in a cool, dry
place so it doesn't get rancid. Do not store more
than two years. 2. Avoid disturbing the ants
right before applying the bait. 3. Apply the
bait when ants are searching for food (when soil
temperatures are between 65-85F). Peak foraging
occurs in spring and fall. In summer, late
afternoon or evening applications are best. 4.
Avoid applying just before a rain or when the
foliage is wet. 5. Broadcast the bait uniformly
at the correct rate (1 to 1 ½ pounds per acre for
most products). Hand held seed spreaders work
well for small to moderate sized areas. 6. Fire
ant baits can take two weeks to several months to
reduce the number of fire ant workers. Wait an
appropriate period of time before deciding if the
bait has been effective. Repeat applications as
needed. 7. Fall applications work well to reduce
fire ant numbers the following spring. During
winter, fire ants forage little and rarely pick
up baits.
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Red Imported Fire Ant

• CONTROL METHODS
• Chemical Control - Individual Mound and Broadcast
  Treatments with Baits
• Bait Treatments Include
• Amdro ? (hydramethylnon)
• Maxforce G ? (hydramethylnon)
• Affirm ? (avermectin B1)
• Logic ?, Award ? (fenoxycarb) Insect Growth
  Regulator
• Distance ? (pyriproxyfen) Insect Growth
  Regulator
• Extinguish ? (methoprene) Insect Growth
  Regulator
• Justice Bait ? (spinosad)
• Firestar Bait ? (fipronil)

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Red Imported Fire Ant

• CONTROL METHODS
• Chemical Control Broadcast Granular Insecticide
  Treatments
• Broadcast treatments are used to distribute an
  insecticide over a large infested area containing
  many fire ant colonies. One disadvantage is that
  broadcast treatments of granular insecticides can
  disrupt native ant communities as well as fire
  ant infestations. Beneficial insect population
  may be reduced. Read the label to determine the
  products impact on beneficial insects. One
  advantage is granular insecticide treatments
  often last longer, some claim season long control
  with one application.
• Granular Insecticide Broadcast Treatments
  Include
• Over n Out? , Top Choice? (fipronil)

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Red Imported Fire Ant
CONTROL METHODS Chemical Control Topical and
Drench Insecticide Treatments Individual mounds
can be treated with topical applications of
granular or powder insecticide formulations.
Mounds can also be drenched with insecticides
diluted with water. Options Granular
products contain an insecticide that releases
into the soil, usually when drenched with water.
Sprinkle the recommended amount of product around
and on top of the mound. When directed on the
label, sprinkle 1 to 2 gallons of water (per 6 to
12 wide mound) over the granules with a watering
can. Sprinkle gently to avoid disturbing the
colony and washing the granules off the mound.
Acephate (Orthene) is an effective dry powder
treatment that does not require added water.
Sprinkle lightly and evenly over the entire
mound. Avoid disturbing the colony during
application. This can cause the ants to vacate a
mound. Its best to keep pets away from treated
mounds until the dust is gone. Liquid drenches
are pesticides mixed with water first and then
applied directly to the mound. As with granules,
1 to 2 gallons of water is needed per 6 to 12
wide mound. Always wear chemical resistant,
unlined gloves to protect your skin when handling
liquid concentrates, and follow label safety
directions.
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Red Imported Fire Ant
CONTROL METHODS Chemical Control Topical and
Drench Insecticide Treatments Topical and Drench
Treatments Include Granular formulations Over
N/ Out?, Top Choice? and other products
containing (fipronil) Granular or Liquid
formulations Ortho? and other products
containing (bifenthrin) Bayer? and other
products containing (cyfluthrin) Spectracide?
and other products containing (permethrin) Sevin?
and other products containing (carbaryl) Triazic
ide? and other products containing (lambda
cyhalothrin) Powder formulations Orthene? and
other products containing (acephate)
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MOUND DRENCH

• -Any of the common chemicals approved for
  exterior use (check the ACM).
• -Apply 1 gallon per 6 of mound diameter.
• -Several days later, reapply treatment to
  satellite mounds.

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Fire Ant Baits
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Application of Orthene Insecticide in Wettable
Powder Formulation to Fire Ant Mound. Wearing
rubber or nitrile gloves is recommended.
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Hand Spreaders For Broadcasting RIFA Bait and
Insecticide Control Products
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Motorized RIFA Broadcast Treatment
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Red Imported Fire Ant

• CONTROL METHODS
• Respect and Protect our Environment
• Never use gasoline or other petroleum products
  for fire ant control!
• Read and follow label directions for the correct
  and safe handling, mixing, use, storage, and
  disposal of all chemical control products.
• Dont leave insecticide granules on streets or
  sidewalks after application, as these will wash
  into storm sewers.
• Never pour leftovers down the drain. This can
  contaminate streams and waterways and endanger
  aquatic life. It is best to use all insecticide
  in a container before discarding it according to
  label directions.

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Fire Ant Management Alternatives

• Biological Control Options?
• Preserve Desirable Ants
• Natural Enemies from South America

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Red Imported Fire Ant

• CONTROL METHODS
• Other Options
• Several organic or plant-derived products
  will control fire ants. Some contain citrus oil
  (dlimonene), pyrethrins, rotenone or pine oil
  (turpentine).They should be mixed with water and
  poured on the mound. Some organic products may
  cost more and act more slowly than conventional
  pesticides.
• Boiling water (about 3 gallons per mound) also
  can eliminate fire ant colonies. However, this
  method can be hazardous to the person carrying
  the hot water. Boiling water poured on grass or
  over plant roots also can be lethal to the
  plants.
• Shoveling can be used to disturb or move
  unwanted fire ant colonies from gardens, compost
  piles and other sensitive sites. Wear rubber
  gloves and liberally dust your gloves and a
  shovel with talcum powder. Talcum powder creates
  a slippery surface that ants cannot climb.
  Captured colonies can be dispatched by carefully
  dousing with soapy water.
• Biological ControlResearch is underway to look
  at the use of biological control agents to
  control imported fire ants. These agents include
  parasitic flies and other ants, fungi and other
  microorganisms. These methods are not yet proven
  to be extremely effective and are not ready for
  commercial application. For more information
  about biological control of fire ants, visit
  http//cmave.usda.ufl.edu/ifahi/currentprojects.ht
  ml

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Insecticide /1000 sg. ft. Comments
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Be Careful When Cutting Okra and Harvesting
Vegetables!!
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RIFA On The Move - Dont Disturb the Mound